The Dark Tower

It wasn’t as terrible as all the negative, almost hysterical responses had made me fear. Overall, it’s rather ordinary, unambitious and unremarkable. The casting is good, even the main boy, who didn’t annoy me, which in this kind of role it’s always a success. The special effects are pretty lame, most of the scenes are covered in darkness (for instance, the fight with the demon in the woods, that one was so dark that I thought the projector had broken down), and the entire film feels terribly rushed, like a fragment of a bigger whole. This is perhaps understandable, given the length of the book it’s based on, but, as a viewer who hasn’t read it, I’d appreciate the adaptation not making it so awfully clear. I don’t see the reason to make much of a fuss, but rather to sigh over the unfulfilled potential. (2017-08-24)

I haven't read the book, but I believe that it is definitely more interesting. The film feels very rushed in places and what can we say, cramming seven books into ninety minutes is impossible, a longer running time would have been better. I have no complaints about the acting, Idris Elba is a proper hero and Matthew McConaughey as the bad guy is excellent – it's a wonder that A-list actors are in such a B-movie. The action is decent, nicely shot, only the scene with the demons was too dark. There’s almost no atmosphere, so I wouldn't describe the film as horror even though it is labelled as such here, but for one viewing I think it's decent, inoffensive fun. 65% (2017-10-08)

Mixed feelings about this one. On one hand, its fine that they filmed it, on the other they filmed it so freely that it sometimes really got on my nerves, and also the way they eat meals in one location after another, killing any potentially productive storylines. Elba is really good, McConaughey is super, several cuts above the rest. His version of Flagg is cynical dark and you can see that he really enjoys himself. King’s essence of evil is presented just right. What isn’t ok is character motivation. Roland’s quest is the tower, not revenge. The point of the book is gone. They just left the gravy. Why was the one-volume Hobbit made into three long movies, while the eight-part Tower get just one short one. It’s makeshift, like a series pilot, but it made me want to read the book again. Perhaps they’ll filmed right someday. (2017-08-29)

It's a mystery to me why they didn't do a better job with this. The premise calls for mature serious fantasy by Peter Jackson, not just a maturely told children's tale where everything is too simply outlined and resolved. I certainly wouldn't call it a dud – for that the film is under control directorially and there are a number of nicely and stylishly edited scenes; but it should have taken a different, darker and more varied route. Elba is a proper good guy, McConaughey as the bad guy the best thing about the whole film. I want an expensive and similarly cast TV series. (2018-02-06)

I never thought an hour and a half could drag on like this. The Dark Tower has its moments, both Matthew McConaughey and Idris Elba fit their roles excellently and Nikolaj Arcel is confident in the action scenes, but unfortunately it's all pretty banal, ordinary and boring. Plot-wise, The Dark Tower never surprises with anything, which doesn't matter when it pretends to be an action B-movie. Unfortunately, however, it more often than not tries to pretend it's a grand fantasy full of fascinating worlds, other dimensions, terrifying monsters and mysterious creatures. And given that the ventures outside our reality end up in a desert with one theme park, one village, and a few completely uninteresting side characters, it comes across as a bit funny. The Dark Tower looks like a pilot for a more ambitious fantasy series that would like to show its world to viewers in the episodes and seasons to come. Unfortunately, it shows so little the first time around that I have no desire to be there the next time (though there probably won't be a next time anyway). It's not a disaster, but there really isn't much of the downright interesting stuff to send you to the cinema for. (2018-07-27)